1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for fastening tissue. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a surgical stapling apparatus having a loading unit capable of applying surgical staples to tissue.
2. Description of Related Art
Surgical instruments for fastening tissue are well known. Some surgical fastening instruments have a tool assembly including opposing jaw structures for grasping tissue. These instruments often include a knife for incising the fastened tissue. The knife is usually positioned in one of the opposing jaw structures. At least one of the opposing jaw structures contains fasteners. These fasteners can be surgical staples or two-part fasteners.
Typically, the tool assembly includes a staple cartridge and an anvil. The staple cartridge houses a plurality of staples arranged in at least two laterally spaced rows, whereas the anvil usually includes a plurality of staple forming pockets for receiving the legs of the staples. The staple forming pockets of the anvil deform the staple legs as the staples are driven from the cartridge. A drive member located within the cartridge drives staples toward the anvil.
During the stapling operation, the drive member advances cam wedges longitudinally through the staple cartridge. The cam wedges act upon staple pushers to sequentially eject the staples from the staple cartridge. A knife may travel between the staple rows to longitudinally cut the stapled tissue between the rows of staples.
The described stapling process is frequently performed during minimally invasive surgical procedures, such as laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures. In laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures, healthcare professionals perform surgical procedures through a small incision or cannula inserted through a small entrance wound in a patient. To address the specific needs of endoscopic and laparoscopic surgical procedures, medical devices manufacturers have developed endoscopic surgical stapling instruments specifically suited to facilitate access to an operative site. Some endoscopic surgical stapling instruments include an articulatable tool assembly disposed on the distal end of the surgical stapling instrument. These surgical stapling instruments normally include an actuation apparatus to control the articulation of the tool assembly. U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 2007/0084898, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a surgical stapling apparatus with an articulable tool assembly.